Building structure



Aug. 3,1937. R. R.- FLING 2,088,645

BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 24, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR. 1 I Pusszl/E F/my.

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Aug. 3, 1937. R; FLlNG 2,088,645

BUILDING S TRUGTURE Passe/LP. F/in 1 1 .17 BY 9 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 3, 1937 UNETED STATES ATENT 12 Claims.

My invention relates to building structures. It has to do more particularly with the construction of walls and fioors of building structures or the like, which can be preformed or fabricated at a factory and later set in place to form the building. The wall units which I have devised are readily adaptable to being formed by machine processes rather than hand processes now commonly employed for forming the walls of building structures.

Heretofore it has been customary to construct walls of building structures or the like from small pieces put together on the site, the various parts being masonry, wood, metal, or composition, or

combinations of these.

Masonry materials are usually strong in compression but weak in tension so that walls built of these materials must depend for stability on dead weight, and, consequently, must be heavy and thick. Even so, they are comparatively weak when subjected to horizontal or transverse forces. Furthermore, the masonry materials being heavy are expensive to transport to the building location and must be built into place on the site by slow expensive hand processes. A further objection is that while masonry materials usually offer suitable protection against wind, water, and frost, the many joints between the small units made necessary by hand processes, offer vulnerable points for the destructive forces of weather. The masonry materials themselves being heavy and solid in most cases, are not well adapted to resist the transmission of heat and cold. In addition, the masonry walls being solid or very nearly so,

chases for wires, pipes, ducts and other appurtenances must be left when the walls are built or more often out later at considerable expense, in either case the walls being thereby greatly weakened.

When built of metal alone, walls are comparatively expensive since Walls of metal of prior art types which are suitable for bearing compressive loads are more costly than walls made of masonry materials. Furthermore, except for the rare metals, such materials are not able to resist well the destructive forces of weather, especially at the seams and joints when exposed directly thereto. Also, in walls of prior art metal type, solid metal members usually carry through or almost through the entire thickness of the wall and oiier poor resistance to the transmission of heat and cold through the wall.

Likewise, buildings constructed of wood must be fabricated by slow and expensive hand processes. Such a structure has many joints, which,

because of the expansion and contraction of the wood with changes of the moisture content, are particularly hard to seal against weather. Wood construction offers inadequate protection against the passage of heat and cold when fabricated according to prior art methods. Also, a wall structure made of wood by the usual prior art methods must be subjected to boring, cutting and fitting to receive pipes, wires, ducts and other appurtenances.

Prior art methods so far suggested for using the various composition materials, or used or suggested for the combination of various materials, are subjected to the same disadvantages outlined above.

There have been many attempts to devise wall structures which could be produced in a factory by machine processes rather than be produced from a large number of small pieces on the site of the building by slow expensive hand processes. However, none of these attempts have been successful to any considerable extent. Consequently, it is still customary to use in most building structures and particularly in houses, the common materials which have been used for years I For these reasons, the cost and even centuries. of houses and other building structures is excessive in comparison with what it could be if the walls of the building structure could be produced by mass production methods.

The primary object of my invention is to reduce the cost of building construction by reducing the amount of materials required therefor, and, through making it possible to introduce machine processes as a substitute for the hand processes now used, to reduce considerably the amount of labor necessary in constructing a building. The wall and floor units which I have devised are adaptable to mass production and, consequently, can be produced very cheaply.

Another object of my invention is to increase the strength of building structures by combining the materials in a scientific manner so that each material performs to the fullest extent the function for which it is best suited.

A further object of my invention is to provide better means for protection from the destructive and penetrating forces of weather, such as wind, water, heat and cold, than has heretofore been common practice. The wall units which I have devised have fewer joints than most prior art walls and because they are adaptable to factory production these joints may be made tighter and more durable. Furthermore these units are of such a type that they may be eifectively provided with insulation against heat and cold by disposing insulating materials within such wall structures, the said structures being of such a type that they will readily receive insulating materials.

Still another object of -my invention is to provide means for easily concealing within the structural portions of the walls and floors themselves, without cutting or fitting thereby weakening the structure, such wires, pipes, ducts or other appurtenances to the structure as may be required or desirable. 7

Another object of my invention is toprovide a wall or floor structure which is not only capable of mass production at a factory but which can be made comparatively light in weight and which will be of such a character that it can be readily shipped to the site of the building and the transportation charges and cost of handling will be comparatively low.

The building structure which I have devised is of such a type that it will enable the production of much larger and lighter weight units than could be produced heretofore. These units may be preformed, fabricated, assembled and even finished, and then subsequently, can be easily transported to the site and rapidly set in place to form the building. This will result in great economies in both labor and materials and, at the same time, offer unusual strength, weather resistance and opportunities for concealment, of accessories to the building.

In its preferred form, my invention contem plates the provision ofwall or floor units which function in the manner of I-beams, trusses, or

,box girders, the functions of the various parts of which are understood by anyone familiar with structural engineering. My structural units are preferably made up of slabs which are comparatively thin. These slabs are made of materials which can withstand compressive forces. They also must have tensile strength. Sufficient tensile strength may either be inherent in the slabs themselves, or may be imparted, in ways subsequently to be described, to slabs made of materials which have little tensile strength and consequently usually are considered as having only compressive strength. Each of the wall units consists of at least two such slabs set opposite each other to make the outside faces of the wall unit and rigidly joined together and held spaced apart by means of suitable web or truss members disposed therebetween. As previously stated, the slab members are joined together in such a manner that the entire wall unit functions in the same manner as an I-beam or box girder. That is, if pressure is applied to the face of one of the slabs, it throws that slab into compression and the slab on the other face of the wall unit into tension, the web members merely serving to take the component shear forces.

Many other objects and advantages will be readily apparent as this description progresses.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a partially diagrammatic view, be ing an elevation section of a'portion of an outside wall structural unit, made in accordance with my invention, with two portions of floor elevation sections being attached thereto. This view is takensubstantially along line l-l of Figure 2 at the side edge of one of the wall units.

Figure 2 is an inside elevation view, partially diagrammatic, of the same portion of the wall unit illustrated in Figure 1 with transverse elevation sections of two floor units which are attached thereto.

Figure 3 is a section elevation partially diagrammatic, of the wall unit shown in Figure 2 and showing longitudinal elevation sections of portions of two floor units attached thereto, with an elevation section of an interior partition wall unit which extends between the two floor units. This view is taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 2 away from an edge of the outside wall unit.

Figure 4 is a section plan view partially diagrammatic of two adjoining wall units taken substantially at 4-4 of Figures 1, 2 and 3 on a line between the ceiling and the floor level above of a floor unit.

Figure 5 is a section plan view partially diagrammatic of two adjoining wall units taken substantially at 5-5 of Figures 1, 2 and 3, on a line within the room between floor and ceiling.

Figure 6 is a detail in isometric, showing the inside surface of two adjoining slabs of two of my wall units, these slabs being of the type having compressive strength and inherent tensile strength, and showing in detail portions of the truss members used for connecting the two opposed slabs of each wall unit rigidly together and for maintaining them in spaced relation.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing slabs which have compressive strength but insufficient inherent tensile strength and having members applied to the slabs to impart additional tensile strength thereto.

Figure 8 is an isometric view of a portion of K a wall unit made up of slabs of material which has compressive strength but insufiicient inherent tensile strength, necessary additional tensile strength being imparted to the slabs by diamond mesh wire reinforcing embedded in the slabs, and illustrating how the truss members are connected to the said diamond mesh reinforcing.

Figure 9 is an isometric diagrammatic view illustrating a wall unit made up in the manner indicated in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9, illustrating diagrammatically the diamond mesh reinforcing in the front slab and how such reinforcing is connected to the web or truss members which connect the slabs together and hold them spaced apart.

Figure 11 is an isometric diagrammatic view similar to Figures 9 and 10 and illustrating the forces which are set up in the front slab of a wall unit of the type shown in Figure 8 when lateral forces are applied to the face of said slab.

Figure 12 is an isometric diagrammatic view similar to Figure 11 but showing the front slab cut away and illustrating the forces which are set up in the rear slab of the wall unit when lateral forces are applied to the face of the front slab.

Figure 13 is a diagram of the resultant of the forces in the rear slab illustrated in Figure 12 at a point where the slab reinforcing reacts in one direction only at the edge of said slab.

Figure 14 taken at a point similar to Figure 13, illustrates isometrically in three dimensions the increment of forces which are transmitted to the tensile and compressive members of the web at this point.

Figure 15 illustrates the resultant forces within the slab at a point similar to that illustrated in Figure 13 but where the slab reintaining compressive loads.

forcing reacts in two directions at a point which lies within the slab and not at the edge thereof.

Figure 16 is taken at a point similar to that illustrated in Figure 15, illustrates isometrically in three dimensions the resultant of the increment of forces which are transmitted to the tensile and compressive members of a web or truss member which is attached to the slab reinf -rcing on an axis within the slab and away from the edge thereof.

Figure 1'? is an isometric view of a portion of a wall structure made in accordance with my invention and showing a portion of a floor unit attached to the inner slab thereof and showing one means of transmitting the weight of the floor unit from the inner slab to the outer slab.

With reference to the drawings, I have shown a vertically extended wall structure I, which is made in accordance with my invention and the lower end of which is supported on a suitable foundation 2. As previously stated, this wall structure is adapted to be made up in such a manner that it will function as an I-beam or box girder.

The wall structure comprises an outer slab 3 and an inner slab 4 which are held in spaced relation and are rigidly secured together by truss members or web members 5 in a manner to be described more in detail hereinafter. The slabs 3 and 4 may be of any desired size or shape. They may be fairly narrow and extend for one story or even two stories or more or may extend only part of the distance between the floor and ceiling. These slabs. must have both compressive and tensile strength. If the slabs are made of such a material that they do not have sumcient inherent tensile strength, I contemplate imparting tensile strength thereto by suitably placed tensile members, as will be later described.

These slabs may be preformed or cast of Portland cement, concrete, magnesite cement, gypsum, natural cement concrete, asbestos board, fiber board, ply wood, metal or other suitable conglomerate or homogeneous material capable of sus- As previously stated, if these slabs do not have sufficient inherent tensile strength, it is imparted thereto in a suitable manner.

The slabs may have either an integral or an applied finish which presents a pleasing and utilitarian surface and the outer slabs may have a surface which is adapted to resist the penetrating and destructive forces of weather.

As previously stated. the slab members 3 and t are adapted to be rigidly tied together and maintained in spaced relation by means of the vertically disposed web members or truss members 5. In Figure 1, I have illustrated diagrammatically such a web or truss member. In this figure, the web or truss member is shown as comprising stiif leg members 6 which are connected to the inner surfaces. of the slabs 3 and t, at suitably spaced intervals and which have suitable diagonal members i disposed between these vertically spaced leg members 5. The leg members 6 and the diagonals l cooperate in producing the vertically extending web members 5 which extend for the entire height of the building section produced, or in other words, for the entire height of the slabs 3 and 4, whatever it may be. The stiff leg members 5 merely need he of sufficient strength to maintain the slabs in spaced relation.

The diagonal members l may be of lighter construction and need only be sufficiently strong to withstand resultant tensile stresses to which they are subjected. I have found that heavy wire would serve the purpose of the stiff leg members 6 and that much lighter wire would serve as the diagonal members i. It is not necessary to use the cross diagonals shown but instead of using web members made up of lattice work as shown, I might use solid web members having their edges rigidly tied to the inner faces of the slabs, although the lattice work type is preferable. Also, I might use members which are made in a single piece but which have cut out portions to reduce the weight thereof and for other purposes such as space for Wires, pipes, etc.

In manufacturing a wall unit which I contemplate producing preferably the slabs are preformed, molded, or cast and likewise the web members. The slabs are then brought into position and the webs are disposed therebetween and rigidly secured in place in a suitable manner. Then, a wall unit will be produced which will embody inner and outer slabs rigidly tied together by'suitable web members. When this wall unit. is incorporated in a building structure, it will function similar to a beam or box girder. The wall unit may be of any suitable size and height depending upon the width and height of the slabs used in forming such unit. Also, the number of vertically extending web members in each unit will depend upon the width of the slabs. These web members may be disposed closely adjacent to the edges of the slabs or may be disposed at any location along the width of the slabs within the edges thereof. Obviously these slabs may be comparatively thin since the; are rigidly tied together and since they are spaced apart. It will be apparent from Figure 1 that a large space 3 is provided between the slabs. This space may serve as an insulating dead air space or this space may be filled with suitable insulating material of either reflective or low conductivity type.

The space between the slabs may be filled with insulating material, if desired, after the wall unit has been formed or even after it has been put in place in the building structure. If insulating material of sufficient rigidity is. used, and slabs of a type which are to be cast in forming, are used, one of the slabs could be formed and the insulation material and web members properly located could be superimposed thereon and then the top slab member could be cast over the insulating material and web members. It will be apparent that in such an instance, since the insulating material would have sufiicient rigidity, it would serve as a core or form member.

As previously stated, the slabs and, consequently, the wall units may be of any suitable height. They may reach from floor to floor or be two or more stories in height. They may even be pierced or cut away between floors to receive fasteners, ferrules, gromets, sleeves, or frames to permit the insertion or securing of windows, doors, arched openings, cabinets, boxes, fixtures, equipment, or other units, providing that the adjacent wall units or the portions of the slab or slabs on either side of the opening have sufiicient strength outside slabs. The joints'between the adjacent slabs of adjacent building units produced in ac cordance with my invention, are made tight by some suitable means such as mastic, cover plates,

5 splines inserted in grooves in the edges of the slabs, or by other suitable means, some of the ways being described more fullyhereinafter.

The vertically disposed wall unit I shown in Figure 1 is adapted to serve as an outside wall 1 and the slab on the outer side is provided with a weather resisting finish. The slab on the inside is provided with a finish suitable for the walls of a room. In Figure 3, I show a wall member la which is constructed in exactly the same manner as the wall unit I previously described. However, this wall unit la serves as an inside partition and, therefore, both of the slabs are inside slabs which are provided with a finish suitable for the inside walls of a room.

The lower end of the partition member la is supported by the floor unit 9 on which it rests. This partition member may also aid in supporting a floor unit which rests on its upper end. These floor units are made in'accordance with the principles of my invention and will be described more in detail hereinafter.

Both of the slabs of my wall units carry both the live and dead loads from the roof, floors and weight of the walls. This load is transmitted from the inner to the outer slab by the web members 5, and. also, by the short web members, trusses or lattices l0 disposed between the slabs at the floor level, as indicated in Figure 3, These short web members are disposed at spaced inter- ,35 vals between the long web members 5 and will be described more in detail later. They serve to transmit weight from the inner slab to the outer slab. In the case of a wall unit not carrying through or past the fioor or roof above, as for example, the inside partition member la, the load from above is transmitted directly to both slabs. It is apparent that slabs so thin in comparison to their height would bend or break under com-- pression were they not held apart and rigidly tied together by means of the web members 5, as described. However, I have found that when so set apart and rigidly tied together, such slabs support a weight approaching very closely to the crushing strength of the material in the slabs. The slabs need only have a net cross-sectional area which is very small in comparison with the gross cross-sectional area of the wall unit, or in comparison with common construction practice.

A further advantage of a wall unit constructed as described will be apparent from consideration of transverse forces. For example, in the case of the wall unit I, consider a wind load applied as indicated by the arrows marked H in Figure 1.

Then, the wall unit acts as a beam or box girder, the slabs 3 and 4 acting as flanges of a beam or chords of a truss, and web 5 acting as the web of a beam or cross members of a truss. Slab 3 will be in compression, slab 4 in tension, and the web 5 will take only component shear forces. In case the slab members are of material not suited to withstand tensile stresses, means may be provided, as will be explained later, for imparting the necessary tensile strength thereto.

I have found by tests that wall units built in this way of very light materials are capable of withstanding wind loads far in excess of any building code requirements. It will be apparent from this discussion that my type of construction I may have a degree of strength, attained with a strength.

minimum of materials and weight, which is not reached by most methods of building construction now in vogue.

Furthermore, my method of'construction which permits assembly of the structural units in a factory, will permit the use of much lighter weight slabs than would be practical if the units were field fabricated, since if field fabrication were contemplated the slabs would have to be formed heavy enough to resist unaided the stresses to which they might be subjected in shipment or in handling at the building site.

In Figures 4 and 5 the slabs of the wall units are indicated by 3a and 4a, the webs for connecting them together and holding them, apart, by

566, and the short web members located at floor levels only, by Illa. In Figure 5 no web-s 10a are shown since this plan section is taken between floors where the short webs do not occur. Splines 'for sealing the vertical joints between slabsare indicated at I2.

I will now describe in detail several ways in which the slab members may be rigidly tied together and ways in which the slabs may have tensile strength imparted thereto, if they are composed of material having insufiicient tensile Figure 6 shows portions of two adjacent slabs 3b of adjacent wall units constructed in accordance with my invention. These slabs 3b are of material having both compressive strength and sufiicient tensile strength. A slip lap joint is provided at the adjacent edges of these slabs as indicated at l3. This slip lap joint is provided with a groove l4 adapted to receive mastic material to seal this joint at all times. Thus, expansion and contraction of the two adjacent slabs 3b relative to each other will be permitted and a seal will always be maintained at the joint between these slabs.

In Figure 6 I have also shown the form which the web member 5 may assume, and how the web member may be connected to the slabs. Each of the slabs is provided on its inner surface with angle clips 15 which are spot welded or otherwise secured to the slabs 3b. The web member is adapted to be composed of metal and is of the double lattice construction indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings. The angle clips I5 are disposed at suitably spaced intervals which I term panel points. Stifi leg member 6a of metal are welded to the perpendicular portions of the angle clips or are otherwise secured thereto. These leg members 6a need not be of very heavy construction but are of suflicient stiffness merely to maintain the slab members in spaced relation, it being understood that the opposite ends of these leg members are connected to the opposite slabs of the unit, not shown, in exactly the same manner. One of these stiff leg members is located at each panel point. They transmit the compressive shear component. The diagonal shear components are transmitted by the cross diagonal tensile member 1a, portions of which are shown in this figure. These diagonal tensile members are arranged as illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1. These members are welded to the stifl leg members at points near the ends thereof as indicated at E6. They may be connected to these leg members in other ways, if desired. The tensile members 1a are preferably of light wire which is preferably a continuous piece. Bolt members I! may be passed through suitable openings in leg members 6a disposed adjacent the edges of the adjacent slabs in order to secure the two adjacent wall units together.

Figure 7, I have illustrated portions of slabs 3c of two adjacent wall units. These slabs are of material having compressive strength but in sufiicient tensile strength. However, I contemplate imparting tensile strength thereto by strips of metal E8 or other suitable material having the desired tensile strength. These strips l8 are secured to the inner faces of the slab by means of screws l9 or in any other suitable way. The web for joining these slabs to the opposite slabs of the building unit, not shown, will be of the construction illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1. In this instance, the still leg members 6b embody heavy Wire members which are welded at their ends to the strips IS. The diagonal tensile members lb may be of lighter wire than the legs 6?) and these members are also welded to the strips I8 at the points where the legs 6b are connected thereto.

The edges of the slabs may be covered with thin metal 20. A groove 2| is formed in each of the adjacent edges of the slabs. These grooves 21 will coincide with each other when the slabs of adjacent wall units are properly positioned and are provided for the reception of a longitudinally extending spline member 52a which is fitted therein. Keys or teeth 22 may be placed at intervals on the spline [2a and these keys or teeth fit into corresponding recesses in the grooves 2|. The purpose of these keys or teeth is to prevent longitudinal slippage of one slab with relation to the other thereby increasing the rigidity of the entire structure. Plate members 23 extending from the strip H3 at the edge of one of the adjacent slabs to the strip H3 at the edge of the other adjacent slab, show one way of providing for securing the two slabs, and consequently the two adjacent wall units, together. These plates are provided with openings through which the screws l9 pass, the openings having suficient play to allow for expansion and contraction of the slabs with changes in temperature or moisture content of the slabs.

Figure 8, which shows another form which my invention may take, I have shown portions of two slabs which are composed of material which has sufiicient compressive strength but does not have sufficient tensile strength. These slabs are composed of concrete or other similar material. As will be explained, subsequently, the slabs are provided with suitable members embedded therein to impart necessary tensile strength thereto.

In order to impart tensile strength to the slabs 3d and Gd, they are provided with diamond mesh wire 24 which is embedded in the slabs. Obviously, the slabs will be cast with this diamond mesh wire disposed therein. The strands of wire run diagonally of the slabs as shown in the drawings and at the points 25 where they intersect they may be welded or otherwise fastened together, if desired. Expancled diamond mesh metal might be used in place or the wire. This diamond mesh wire imparts tensile strength to each of the slabs. It is important that the web members for connecting the two slabs together be connected directly to the wire mesh reinforcing members. If web members were merely connected to the face of the slabs and exerted tensile stresses thereon, cracking of the material of which the slabs are composed would result. However, if

the web members are connected direct to the diamond mesh tensile wire, the tensile stresses imparted to the slabs by the web members would be exerted on the diamond mesh tensile members which can adequately withstand such tensile stresses.

As shown in the drawings, the web or truss member 51) is of the type illustrated in Figure 1, and lies on an axis away from the edge of the slabs instead of on an axis at the edge of the slabs as shown in Figures 6 and 7. It comprises stiff leg members 60 which take component shear compressive forces, and cross diagonal tensile members To which take component shear tensile forces. The stiff legs 60 may be composed of heavy wire or rods and the cross diagonal tensile members To may be composed of lighter wire or rods. All of these members are welded together or otherwise secured together. On each end of the stiff leg members 60, an enlarged portion 26 is provided. This enlarged portion 26 is adapted to fit into a socket formed in a sleeve member 21.

The sleeve members 21 project from plate members 23 which are formed integral therewith. These plate members are welded or otherwise secured to the diamond mesh tensile wires at a point where two of the strands of wires intersect, as indicated at 25, and are embedded in the slabs. These plates and sleeve members may be arranged at suitably spaced intervals or panel points. It will be understood that these slabs are preformed with the diamond mesh tensile wires. and the plate members 28 which carry sleeves 2i disposed therein. The sleeves 21 will project up to the surface of the slab members. Consequently, when assembling a wall unit of this type, the slabs will be disposed in spaced relation and then the Web members 51) will be positioned therebetween. The sockets formed in the sleeves 2! will receive the enlarged portions 26 on the ends of the stifi leg members 60 which will be inserted therein.

The enlarged portions 26 are provided with shoulders 29 at the points where they are joined to the rest of the leg members 60. When these enlarged portions are positioned in sleeves 21, the upper ends of the sleeves extend a short distance past the shoulders 29. Therefore, when the enlarged portions 26 are properly positioned therein, the upper ends of sleeves 21 may be bent or turned down over shoulders 29 as indicated at 30. Thus the portions 26 will be held in position in the sleeve members 21. Consequently, the leg members 60 will tie the two slabs: together and maintain them in spaced relation.

It may be noted that other methods of securing the stiff leg members 60 to the diamond mesh reinforcing 24 such as welding, sweating or force fit, may be used, depending upon the materials and details of manufacture.

It will be apparent that when tensile stresses are imparted toeither of the slab members by the tensile members 'ic, such tensile stresses will be transmitted directly to the wire mesh tensile reinforcing. Thus, the diamond wire mesh will receive the tensile stresses and, consequently, cracking of the slabs willbe prevented. The ends of the tensile diagonal members 10 are connected to the legs 60 directly adjacent the outer ends of the enlarged portions 26 on the legs 60. These enlarged portions 26 will transmit the stresses from these tensile members to the diamond mesh wire. However, there will be no danger of the portions 26 bending as they are made heavier than the rest of the legs 6c. It

will be apparent that these two slabs are connected, as before, rigidly together so that a Wall unit made thereof will operate as a beam or box girder. The material of the slabs is of such a type that it will readily take all compressive forces to which it will be subjected. Also, since the slabs are provided with diamond mesh reinforcing which is connected to the web members that tie the two slabs rigidly together, the slabs will take any tensile stresses to which they may be subjected without causing cracking thereof.

While the operation of the internal diagonal or diamond mesh slab reinforcing just described, is simple, the principles involved are unusual. Figures 9 to 16, inclusive, are diagrammatic isometric drawings of portions of a unit similar to that illustrated in Figure 8 which will serve to better explain these principles.

Figure 9 illustrates diagrammatically'a portion of an assembled unit lying between two longitudinal web axes ml and x2, and supported at the transverse axis yl and 1/2 by foundation and floor or otherwise. If a wind load Ila is applied to the face of the outer slab 36, this slab 36 is thrown into compression as previously described.

Figure 10 illustrates diagrammatically thereinforcing in this slab 36. This reinforcing is indicated by the letter p but it will be understood that it is identical with the reinforcing 24 shown in Figure 8. In this Figure 10, theweb member for connecting the two slabs rigidly together is also indicated, the stiff leg members are indicated by the letter a, and the cross diagonal members by the letter b. It will be understood that the 5 stiff leg members and thecross diagonal members are connected to the tensile reinforcing in the manner described with reference to Figure 8. From this figure, it will be apparent that the diagonally extending strands of wire of the diamond mesh reinforcing carry across from web to web, as from alto a2 and, in so doing distribute the force Ila. from web to web, the material in the outer surface of slab 3e being thrown into compression in the usual manner in any simple span slab. In other words, each diagonally extending strand of the diamond mesh wire is a continuous piece which extends from stiff leg member at one web axis of the slab to a stiff leg member at another web axis of the slab. All of the stiff leg members are operatively connected together by the diamond mesh reinforcing. However, the full thickness of the compressive material in slab 3e is also brought into compression in a manner illustrated in Figure 11, the resultant forces in the tensile reinforcing and the compressive material of the slab being indicated by the arrows, only part of the reinforcing being shown. If we consider only one small section of the slab, say the section between two adjacent stiff legs directly across from two other stiff legs in adjacent web member, a series of small diamonds are formed, the resultant forces within each being similar to those in the large diamond illustrated in Figure 11.

The diagonal reinforcing in the slab 46 which is thrown into tension also carries directly the longitudinal tensile forces. in the slab imposed by load lla, as from a3 to ad, Figure 12. But the compressive material of slab 46 is also put under stress by opposed diagonals, the resultant forces in this compressive material and in the tensile reinforcing being illustrated by the arrows in the large diamond, only part of the reinforcing being shown. Likewise the forces within each small diamond are similar. It will be noted that whena slab is'performing' the compressive function as is slab 3e, Figure 11, the compressive forces within the diamonds are longitudinal to the unit or parallel to the webs, and when a slab is performing .the tensile function as slab 46, Figure 12, the compressive forces within the diamonds are transverse to the unit or perpendicular to' the webs.

Figure 13 illustrates the resultant of the forces in the slab 46 at location of Figure 12 at the edge of the slab. Figure 14 illustrates the resultant in three dimensions at the same location of the increment of forces which are transmitted to the diagonal tensile members 115 and the compressive stiff leg members a5 of the web. Figure 15 illustrates resultant forces within the slab at a point similar to that illustrated in Figure 13 but away from the edge of the slab. Figure 16 illustrates the resultant in three dimensions at the same location, of the increment of forces which are transmitted to the tensile and compressive members of the web b6 and a6, where the web axis lies within and not at the edge of the slab, as in Figure 8.

One significant thing illustrated by Figures 9 to 16, inclusive, may again be pointed out. By this method of reinforcing the compressive material of the slabs is always brought into compression when the unit as a whole is subjected to lateral forces, whether the slab as a whole is in compression or tension, thus subjecting the compressive material in the slab to forces which it is best fitted to resist.

It may be pointed out further that the pro vision of reinforcing of the type described in order to obtain longitudinal tensile strength in the slabs is a very desirable and novel feature of my invention. Furthermore, it will be apparent that a connection having sufficient strength to take the required tensile stress must be made between this tensile reinforcing and the web. Thus, we see, for example, that the usual method of reinforcing concrete slabs by longitudinal and transverse rods, wires, or mesh, will not suffice, as at least sufiicient of the longitudinal reinforcing members to withstand the tensile stresses, must be connected directly to the web member. Whereas in my method just described the load is not only transmitted across from web to web in the slab, which on the whole is in compression, but the full tensile reinforcing strength of the slab, which on the whole is in tension, is developed, and in addition the compressive strength of bothslabs is brought into compression.

In Figure 17, I have illustrated more in detail a portion of the floor units 9a. illustrated in Figures l to 3. It may be noted that a wall unit made in accordance with my invention might be used as a floor unit as it would adequately perform the functions thereof. However, in the case of a floor unit, the bottom slab forming the ceiling would have little need for compressive strength, since it would always be in tension after erection and would have unnecessary dead weight. My wall unit could also be used in an oblique position as well as a vertical position.

However, I have devised a special type of floor unit as illustrated in. Figure 17. This floor unit comprises. a precast slab 3| having a suitable type of longitudinal and transverse reinforcing therein, one type of which is illustrated at 32, which will distribute the load to which it may be subjected. As previously stated, in the case of the floor unit it is not necessary to have a lower slab. In this instance, I merely provide pre--.

.. of the joist.

formed joist members 33 which support the upper slabs 3!. These joist members merely comprise diagonals 34 which have their lower ends secured to a bottom chord 35. The upper ends of these diagonals are provided with flanges 36 which support the floor slab and with studs 31 which are forced into sleeves 38 and securely bind together the floor slabs and. joist permitting them to function as a structural unit.

If a load is applied to the upper surface of the floor slab, such slab will be thrown into compression and the bottom chord member of the joist will be thrown into tension while the diagonal members of the joist merely transmit the resultant shear forces. Thus, the floor slab performs a double function in transmitting the floor load from joist to joist and, also, serving to take the compressive stresses which are ordinarily carried by the upper portions of the joist, whereas heretofore floor slabs of whatever material have usually served only to distribute the floor loads from joist to joist. In these few prior art methods now used where the floor slabs are supposed to perform this dual function, such as the various pan and joist concrete poured in place, the web of the joist is far heavier than would be necessary to perform its function if other materials better suited to resist the resultant shear forces were substituted. Furthermore, my floor unit is adaptable to factory production whereas other prior art methods are adapted to field production only.

With my method of floor construction, ceilings can be hung from the slab, web, or bottom chord They may be of any type such as light weight or sound absorbing materials, and may be fir-eproofed to protect the web and bottom chord of the joist. Or the web and bottom chord may be fireproofed themselves.

In Figure 17, I have also illustrated one method whereby the floor unit may be supported by the wall unit and have shown in detail the members iilb for transmitting the load from the inner slab to the outer slab of the wall unit. These members i821 are short web members which are disposed in closely spaced relation between the vertically extending long web members 5, previously described.

These web members Illa are composed ofv short stiff leg members 39 of the type described with reference to the long web members 5. Cross diagonal members ll] extend between the two stiff leg members 39 of each web illb. These web members are practically identical with the longer web members 5, except, of course, they are much shorter than the members 5. The stiff leg members 39 are provided with enlarged portions 4| on their ends which fit into sleeve members 42 and i i and the sleeves are turned down over the enlarged portion as at El! in Figure 8. The sleeves 12 in the outer slab 3 are disposed on plates t3 which are similar to the plates 28 shown in Figure 8. These plates are welded or otherwise secured to the tensile members 24a. in the Only the sections of the tensile reinforcing are shown in this slab 3].

The sleeve members M disposed in the inner slab A and welded or otherwise secured to the reinforcing therein, extend on through the slab and project out from the inner face thereof. The inner portions of these members 44 are solid and the projecting portions have heads 45 formed thereon. The edge of the floor slab 3| which abuts the inner slab 3) is provided with a metal angle 46 extending therealong which is suitably secured thereto. This metal angle has bayonet slots 41 formed therein adapted to receive the heads 45 to support the floor slab on the inner wall slab. The chord members 35 of the joist are supported by an angle iron is which extends along the inner surface of the wall slab and which is provided with slots 49 that fit over the outer portions of the sleeve members 44. Thus, the floor unit is attached to the wall unit in such a manner as to form a stiff joint. The floor unit is rigidly tied to the wall unit and the floor load is distributed evenly between the inner and outer slabs of the wall unit. The main web members 5 will transmit the floor load from the inner slab to the outer slab and the shorter web members Iil aid greatly in-doing this.

To one familiar with the simple principles of structural engineering and the planning of buildings, a study of the above description and of the drawings will bring many advantages to light.

For example, the general method which suggests itself of forming and fabricating the various parts offers great opportunities for flexibility in the designing of the structural unit. Each part may be so proportioned in relation to the whole and according to the characteristics of the materials used, as to permit attainment of maximum economy of materials. used. Thus, it will be seen that very light weight slabs can be used if the spacing of the web and of the panel points within the webis proportioned and spaced according to the strength of the slab. It may be noted that the panel points in either wall or floor units need not have a uniform spacing but may have a progressive spacing from the center of the story height or floor span to give a uniform stress. However, in the interest of design modules described later, and of simplicity in fabrication, both of webs and slabs and slab reinforcing, where such reinforcing is necessary, it will usually be found better to keep a uniform spacing of panel points.

Only a fraction of the customary amount of material is necessary to produce a wall unit which is stronger in every respect than ordinary walls except in direct compression loads. Even in this the strength of my unit may excel, due to the fact that there is no danger of the load being applied off center of the wall or outside of the area of stability, the so-called middle third, as is the case in some types of walls.

It will be apparent that the space between wall slabs and under the fioor slabs can be used for receiving insulation against heat and cold of either the reflective or low transmission type. Since the web members transmit only shear forces, they may be very light both in the wall and the floor construction and will transmit very little temperature across the thickness of the wall or floor unit. It will also be seen that this space between the slabs of the wall and below the floor is available for concealing wires, pipes, ducts, and other accessories to the structure.

With my method of construction, the plan and elevation design of buildings will be greatly simplified by making possible the adoption of certain modules or units of measure. The suggested method of manufacture will make possible keeping the wall units to an accurate thickness, for example, six inches. Then, all room sizes will work out in even six inch dimensions. Panel points, if used in the floor joist can be kept to six inch spacing and will always fit inside walls for bearing or support. The width of wall units and the width and length of floor units will always be in multiples of six inches." This simplicity carries over into the details of fabrication, such as spacing of wire diamond mesh reinforcing or whatever other elements may be involved in a structural design suitable to the materials to be used, and thereby the process of manufacture will be greatly simplified.

Likewise, if a floor thickness of say eight inches be adopted and vertical wall units Web panel points of four inches, the wall unit ceiling, door and window height can be kept in simple dimensions and the various units can be made to fit together easily.

It may be noted that in certain special purpose buildings it may be desirable to use more than two spaced slabs in the wall thickness. Thus, a wall might have a series somewhat laminated, of more than two slabs held apart and tied together as previously described.

In short, whereas previous methods of construction have depended for stability upon dead weight'or have had internal structural members such as studs or joists, my method contemplates using the wall and floor faces to carry the compression and tensile loads, and the utilization of light weight webs to transmit component shear forces, which webs thus perform the shear functions previously performed by dead weight or by studs or other purely structural members. Furthermore, with the building units which I have devised the substitution of machine and factory fabrication for hand and field fabrication is possible.

In the following claims where I state that the building unit is so constructed as to function as a beam, it is to be understood that I also mean that it functions as a box girder, truss, or other equivalent structure.

Having thus described my invention, what I 40 claim is:

1. A structural unit comprising preformed continuous slabs having sufficient compressive strength but insufficient tensile strength, web members which extend substantially the full length of said slabs and are secured to said slabs intermediate the ends thereof along spaced longitudinal axes for rigi ly tying said slabs together in spaced relationship in such a manner that the whole becomes a rigidly operative unit functioning as a beam and takes compressive loads in proportion to the compressive strength of the slabs and the flexure of the unit rather than the flexure of the individual slabs, said slabs having diamond mesh reinforcing embedded therein which is continuous and extends substantially the full length thereof and imparts the necessary tensile strength thereto, said diamond mesh reinforcing being connected directly to said web members at longitudinally spaced intervals intermediate the ends of said slabs so that said reinforcing will transform tensile stresses into compressive stresses in said slabs.

2. A structural unit comprising preformed slabs having sufficient compressive and tensile strength, longitudinally extending web members secured to said slabs along laterally spaced axes for rigidly tying said slabs together in spaced relationship in such a manner that the whole becomes a rigidly operative unit functioning as a beam and takes compressive loads in proportion to the compressive strength of the slabs and the flexure of the unit rather than the flexure of the individual slabs, said web members extending substantially the entire length of the slabs and being secured thereto intermediate the ends thereof, said slabs having additional means for securing them rigidly together in spaced relationship at a transverse axis where loads may be applied to one slab only, said additional means comprising short web members secured to said slabs arranged to receive said loads and operating to transmit and distribute said loads between said slabs.

3. A structural unit comprising preformed slabs having sufficient compressive strength but insufficient tensile strength, longitudinally extending web members secured to said slabs along laterally spaced axes for rigidly tying said slabs together in spaced relationship in such a manner that the whole becomes a rigidly operative unit functioning as a beam and takes compressive loads in proportion to the compressive strength of the slabs and the flexure of the unit rather than the flexure of the individual slabs, said slabs having tensile members which are continuous and extend substantially the entire length of the unit applied thereto in such a manner as to impart the necessary tensile strength thereto, said web members extending substantially the entire length of the unit and being secured to the slabs intermediate the ends thereof, said slabs having additional means for securing them rigidly together in spaced relationship at a transverse axis where loads may be applied to one slab only, said additional means comprising short web members secured to said slabs arranged to receive said loads and operating to transmit and distribute said loads between said slabs.

4. A structural unit comprising preformed continuous slabs having sufficient compressive strength but insuificient tensile strength, laterally spaced longitudinally extending web members for rigidly tying said slabs together in spaced relationship in such a manner that the whole becomes'a rigidly operative unit functioning as a beam and takes compressive loads in proportion to the compressive strength of the slabs and the flexure of the unit rather than the flexure of the individual slabs, said slabs having tensile members which are continuous and extend substantially the entire length thereof applied thereto in such a manner as to impart the necessary tensile strength thereto, said web members being connected directly to said tensile members intermediate the ends of said slabs and extending for substantially the entire length of said slabs, said slabs having additional means for securing them rigidly together in spaced relationship at a transverse axis where loads may be applied to one slab only, said additional means comprising short web members arranged to receive said loads and operating to transmit and distribute said loads between said slabs, said short web members being disposed between said first-named web members and in spaced relation and being connected directly to said tensile members.

5. A structural unit comprising preformed slabs having sufficient compressive strength but insuflicient tensile strength, laterally spaced longitudinally extending web members for rigidly tying said slabs together in spaced relationship in such a manner that the whole becomes a rigidly operative unit functioning as a beam and takes compressive loads in proportion to the compressive strength of the slabs and the flexure of the unit rather than the flexure of the individualslabs,said slabs having continuous reinforcing which extends substantially the entire length of said unit and imparts the necessary tensile strength thereto, said web members extending substantially the entire length of the unit and being connected directly to said reinforcing at longitudinally spaced intervals intermediate the ends of the unit, slabs having additional means for securing them rigidly together in spaced relationship at a transverse axis where loads may be applied to one slab only, said additional means comprising short web members arranged to receive said loads and operating to transmit and distribute said loads between said slabs, said short web members being connected directly to said reinforcing.

6. A structural unit comprising preformed continuous slabs having sufiicient compressive strength but insufficient tensile strength, laterally spaced longitudinally extending web members for rigidly tying said slabs together in spaced relationship in such a manner that the whole becomes a rigidly operative unit functioning as a beam and takes compressive loads in proportion to the compressive strength of the slabs and the fiexure of the unit rather than the flexure of the individual slabs, said slabs having diamond mesh reinforcing embedded therein which is continuous and which extends substantially the entire length thereof and. imparts the necessary tensile strength thereto, said web members extending substantially the entire length of said slabs, said diamond mesh reinforcing being connected directly to said web members at longitudinally spaced intervals intermediate the ends of said slabs so that said reinforcing will transform tensile stresses into compressive stresses in said slabs, said slabs having additional means for securing them rigidly together in spaced relation ship at a transverse axis where loads may be applied to one slab only, said additional means consisting of short web members arranged between said first-named web members and being connected directly to said reinforcing and operating to transmit and distribute said loads between said slabs.

7. A structural unit comprising a preformed slab having sufficient longitudinal compressive strength, a chord member having sufficient tensile strength extending longitudinally of said slab and being disposed in spaced relation thereto, a web member extending substantially the entire length of said unit attached to said chord member and to said slab intermediate the ends of said unit in order to rigidly secure such members together in such a manner that the entire unit will function as a beam when a load is applied to the outside face of said slab.

8. A structural unit comprising a preformed slab having sufiicient longitudinal compressive strength, continuous chord members having sufficient tensile strength extending longitudinally of said slab for substantially the entire length of said unit and being disposed in spaced relation to said slab, said chord members being spaced laterally, and web members extending substantially the entire length of said unit attached to said chord members and to said slab intermediate the ends of said unit for rigidly securing the chord members to the slab in such a manner that the entire unit will function as a beam when a load is applied to the outside face of said slab, said slab having sufficient transverse tensile and compressive strength to transmit said load from chord axis to chord axis.

9. A structural unit comprising a preformed slab having sufficient longitudinal compressive strength, continuous chord members having sufficient tensile strength extending longitudinally of said slab for substantially the entire length of said unit and being disposed in spaced relation to said slab, said chord members being spaced laterally, and web members extending substantially the entire length of said unit attached to said chord members and to said slab intermediate the ends of said unit for rigidly securing the chord members to the slab in such a manner that the entire unit will function as a beam when a load is applied to the outside face of said slab, said slab having sulficient transverse compressive strength but insufiicient transverse tensile strength to transmit said load from chord axis to chord axis, said slab being provided with reinforcing to impart the necessary tensile strength thereto.

10. A structural unit comprising a preformed slab having sufficient longitudinal compressive l strength, continuous chord members having sufficient tensile strength extending longitudinally of said slab for substantially the entire length of said unit and being disposed in spaced relation to said slab, said chord members extending substantially the entire length of said unit being spaced laterally, and web members attached to said chord members and to said slab for rigidly securing the chord members to the slab in such a manner that the entire unit will function as a beam when a load is applied to the outside face of said slab, said slab having sufficient transverse compressive strength but insufiicient transverse tensile strength to transmit said load from chord axis to chord axis, said slab being provided with diamond mesh reinforcing embedded therein in order to impart the necessary tensile strength thereto, said diamond mesh reinforcing being connected directly to said web members in order to operate to transform the tensile stresses in said slab into compressive stresses.

11. A structural unit comprising preformed continuous slabs having sufficient compressive and tensile strength, web members which extend substantially the full length of said slabs and are secured to said slabs intermediate the ends thereof along spaced longitudinal axes for rigidly tying said slabs together in spaced relationship in such a manner that the whole becomes a rigid- 1y operative unit functioning as a beam and takes compressive loads in proportion to the compressive strength of the slabs and the fiexure of the unit rather than the flexure of the individual slabs.

12. A structural unit comprising preformed continuous slabs having sufficient compressive strength but insufficient tensile strength, web members which extend substantially the full length of said slabs and are secured to said slabs intermediate the ends thereof along spaced longitudinal axes for rigidly tying said slabs together in spaced relationship in such a manner that the whole becomes a rigidly operative unit functioning as a beam and takes compressive loads in proportion to the compressive strength of the slabs and the flexure of the unit rather than the fiexure of the individual slabs, said slabs having continuous tensile members extending substantially the full length of the slabs applied thereto in such a manner as to impart the necessary tensile strength thereto, said tensile members being connected to said web members.

RUSSELL R. FLING.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

atent No. 2,088,645. August 5, 1937.

RUSSELL R. FLING.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Pages, second column, lines 25-26, claim 10, strike out the words "extending substantially the entire length of said unit" and insert the same after "members" in line 2'7, same claim; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. I

Signed and sealed this 5th day of October, A. D. 1957.

Henry Van Arsda'le Seal) 7 Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

